Postdoctoral Scientist

Job Summary:
The Singapore UCSD RNA Frontier (SURF) program aims to foster strategic collaboration between UCSD and Singapore towards the eventual development of RNA therapeutics. Within this area, SURF projects will involve the development of platforms, modalities or gene targets across multiple disease areas. Leveraging the expertise of Prof. Eugene Yeo, an RNA technologist and renowned expert in RNA biology, SURF will function in close synergy with the UCSD RNA Centre, while complementing and partnering existing national efforts in the RNA space.

We are seeking a post-doctoral wet-lab scientist to execute the various projects within this program. Working closely with the senior scientists and the bioinformatician, this role will involve: 1) planning and carrying out experiments, with a particular focus on high-throughput or scalable experimental assays, 2) analyzing experimental data and troubleshooting unsuccessful approaches, 3) maintaining detailed experimental records, 4) training and/or mentoring students and research technicians, 5) disseminating findings at conferences or through publications. The ideal candidate will also possess substantial experience with and a deep mechanistic understanding of cutting-edge library preparation techniques to apply and adapt these approaches to new experimental questions.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Research

● Implement and facilitate the SURF program strategy through rigorous, reproducible experimentation and data generation.

● Apply RNA-centric tools and technologies towards studies that may include (but are not limited to):

○ RNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms (synthesis, processing, modification, localization, and degradation).

○ Functional consequences of RNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms in cellular or disease models.

○ Developing high-throughput or scalable experimental assays to interrogate RNA biology, including via sequencing-based and perturbation approaches.

● Stay up-to-date with the latest findings and technological advances in the scientific literature and actively explore how they may be used to improve experimental design or execution strategy.

Lab Operations

● Contribute to the continuous improvement of laboratory workflows and standard operating procedures.

● Maintain detailed experimental records and ensure adherence to best practices for reproducibility and data integrity.

● Support day-to-day laboratory operations, including reagent preparation, equipment maintenance, and adherence to safety protocols.

Collaboration & Integration

● Work closely with the senior scientists and bioinformatician to ensure appropriate experimental design and interpretation of analytical results.

● Collaborate with fellow researchers to advance multidisciplinary projects.

● Participate actively in lab meetings, project discussions, and cross-functional research reviews.

Communication & Training

● Prepare and submit manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals.

● Present research findings at scientific conferences and at stakeholder meetings.

● Train or mentor junior lab members, students, or technicians.

Required Education:

• PhD in molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, bioengineering, or a closely related biomedical discipline, with 1–5 years of postdoctoral research experience in an academic or industrial setting.

Other Desired Qualifications / Experiences / Skills:

• A high degree of scientific curiosity, and an ability and willingness to think creatively or apply prior knowledge from disparate experimental domains to solve novel experimental challenges or develop new assays.
• An ability to acquire new skills or master new techniques quickly and adeptly.
• An ability to independently plan, execute and troubleshoot complex experiments.
• A track record of productivity in the form of peer-reviewed publications or submitted manuscripts.
• Experience working in interdisciplinary or collaborative research teams.
• Expertise in a wide-range of wet-lab assays and techniques, preferably including (but not limited to) cell culture, viral production, microscopy, high-throughput screening, sequencing-based experimental platforms, and assay development.
• An in-depth background working in the following areas of biological research is a plus: RNA and RNA-binding proteins, neurodegeneration, cancer, heart disease, stem cell and/or organoid systems.
• Exposure to translational research or early-stage drug discovery environments is a plus.